Turkey, anyone else going?

[CitizenCandyKane]

We had our holiday to Croatia cancelled because of the quarantine situation, so have rebooked for Turkey. We've been before, but I am feeling particularly anxious, and I'm not sure why.. Anyone else been or going?

Yes me. We're going in two weeks time to the Fethiye area after rescheduling our June trip. Where are you going? Why are you nervous?

Turkey's current seven day average figure is still only 11 so a fair way off the magic 20 which closes the air corridor.

Enjoy your holiday!

Yes, we are flying in just over 2 weeks too.

We have been before, to the same hotel (In Side), so I am not sure why I am feeling anxious, but I am. Hopefully we will both have an excellent holiday.

Just booked for SATURDAY based on very positive feedback from friends And family
A little nervous but also looking forward to it

We've just come back from Fethiye area. It was fab. Temperatures checked everywhere, lots of bottles of hand sanitiser everywhere, even in the taxis. Turkey has spent a lot of effort in setting out codes of practice for the hospitality and tourism sectors to ensure that Covid does not stop people going on holiday there. You'll see the sign boards everywhere setting out the code, and all of the hotels and restaurants have had to be approved as being safe before being allowed to open.

We found that there were very few foreigners there this year, but the Turks are all on staycations so the coastal areas where just as busy as usual but with locals instead. Everyone was very welcoming. It was a lovely holiday.

We found that there were very few foreigners there this year

<a class="break-all" href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-53497741?intlink_from_url=www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/c207p54mdq3t/turkey&link_location=live-reporting-story" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-53497741?intlink_from_url=www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/c207p54mdq3t/turkey&link_location=live-reporting-story

<a class="break-all" href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-53906360?intlink_from_url=www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/c207p54mdq3t/turkey&link_location=live-reporting-correspondent" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-53906360?intlink_from_url=www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/c207p54mdq3t/turkey&link_location=live-reporting-correspondent

www.hrw.org/europe/central-asia/turkey

www.amnesty.org/en/countries/europe-and-central-asia/turkey/report-turkey/

www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/TURKEY-2019-HUMAN-RIGHTS-REPORT.pdf

www.iiss.org/blogs/analysis/2020/06/turkey-economy

newint.org/features/2020/06/11/big-story-kurds-betrayed-again

I wonder why?

@Gingernaut, if you think tourists are dodging Turkey for ethical rather than Corona reasons you are over estimating! But I get that you are making a point.

If we were to avoid all countries that have human rights or political issues, there would be very few places left in the world we could go to. Certainly all those people going to Florida or New York would have to question if they should be giving money to the US when they have such a poor track record and still uphold the death penalty. Much of the Far East is out, as is virtually all of Africa. Lots of countries in Europe are not squeaky clean either. I reckon Antarctica is probably safe.

I fly for a living, and am well aware of many of the political tensions in most parts of the world - we have to be aware of them in case we need to land in an emergency. We don’t want to land in the wrong place! (I have colleagues who were used as human shields by Saddam Hussein when he captured them.) Certainly the friction between Greece and Turkey gives rise to an interesting and annoying situation as the Greek and Turkish air traffic controllers in the vicinity of Cyprus do not acknowledge the existence of each other and we have to do a little verbal dance to ensure our onward flight clearance through what is known as Chaos Corner.

Throw in a global pandemic and the number of places left to go on holiday to is vanishingly small. The average Turk on the street is no more likely to be a human rights abuser than the average Irish person is to be an active IRA member, or the average Spaniard is to be an ETA terrorist, and they still need to earn a living.

But back to the OP - yes, Turkey will be fine. Enjoy your holiday, it’s a lovely place.

Meeee! Hopefully

Got back a week ago from Lara Beach. Had an amazing time. Very relaxing. Things managed so well by the hotel it meant guests could actually relax.

@CitizenCandyKane just a heads up that my parents live in the south of Turkey and my mum said that cases of corona virus are rising steeply and that they are just waiting for lockdown to be reintroduced. My mum also thinks they are going to be put on the UK quarantine list. She was due to fly over in the next few weeks to meet her great grandson and my imminent new arrival but won’t be doing so now.

@Chefwifelife cases need to just about double before being put on quarantine list, hopefully if it’s soon she’ll be ok.

@Medstudent12 she’s definitely not coming over sadly. My great nephew was born at 27 weeks so even now he’s doing well is considered very high risk. She also wouldn’t have anywhere to self isolate when she came over. Sadly I’m quite accustomed to it having parents that live abroad.

It's surely unlikely that Turkey will be put on the UK quarantine list soon since their number is around 12, and the cut-off is 20?

@CitizenCandyKane I hope not for the people who have booked holidays. Just going from what my mum as now local has told me.

We are going in about 10 days time. We've been before and know the area reasonably well. I'm really looking forward to it.

I'm in Antalya now. It's my first time to Turkey and I love it. Will definitely come back, in October as long as infection rates don't go up and rule it out.

@Chefwifelife Where in southern Turkey is your mum based?

@CitizenCandyKane they are in Altinkum (Didm). I absolutely love turkey and have been at various times throughout the year. My fave time was sept into October. I really hope you get to go.

Feck no their human rights are appalling at the moment. I would avoid supporting the gov’s economy at all costs. I say that as someone who lived there for many years. There people are starving while erdogan lives in a palace built with their taxes. There were lots of other palaces.